2009 may end up being called "The Year of the Mixtape," as some of the best tracks of the year have been delivered absolutely free via the Internet by the likes of R. Kelly, 50 Cent and Drake. The latest buzzworthy Web music project doesn't come from a rapper, though — it comes from a mysterious character named Je Deviens DJ En 3 Jours (Translation: "I Become a DJ in Three Days"). He has put together an album of Daft Punk songs, which is unremarkable by itself. Heck, they're not even remixes. But they have been remade into "chiptunes," or songs synthesized using the same sound chips found in old-school video game systems. The result is a surprisingly effective little album called Da Chip.
The chiptune effect turns Daft Punk's lush compositions into minimalist blips, beeps and distorted drum sounds. "Around the World" now sounds like something from "Mega Man 2," while "One More Time" could easily be subbed in for the title screen music on "Contra."
Like Daft Punk, Je Deviens DJ En 3 Jours has remained anonymous: His MySpace account has been suspended and his official site is listed as being under construction since June 2008. However, he does list a simple equation for his mindset: "Gameboy + Girls + Champagne + Pokemon = Je deviens dj en 3 jours." The "Gameboy" reference makes the most sense, as the Game Boy was Nintendo's first stab at portable gaming and featured tremendously lo-fi music.